The following information is published with ROUNDALAB's permission from the ROUNDALAB Reference Manual compiled by Richard & Jo Ann Lawson, 1987.

Graduation Ceremony

Anndrea J. Stephan - San Mateo, California

(Excerpts from cover letter: As a new Round Dance teacher ready to graduate my first beginner's class, I began searching for a format for a Round Dance graduation ceremony similar to that used by many square dance groups. To my dismay, I found no evidence — in my area, at least — of any such ceremony. Undaunted, I proceeded to write one. On the chance that other Round Dancer teachers may also be looking for such a format, I'm enclosing a copy of my graduation ceremony.

Prior to the ceremony, we had one set of straight dancing and then a mock "final exam". Placing selected club members around the room with pencils and notepads, I excluded all but class members and their partners from the floor. We danced Frenchy Brown all the way through. Then, I had them roll the ladies to left open and we danced Frenchy Brown again with the ladies dancing the men's part and the men dancing the lady's part. We followed that with a straight version of Dancing Shadows and, to see how well they danced to cues, ended the "exam" with Dancing Shadows to Bossa Nova using the double acknowledgement and Dancing Shadows in AA-B-CC-B-CC-AA-B-CC-A-B½ sequence... The credit for the "Final Exam" must go to another Bay Area teacher, Jim Barnes, with my and, I believe, my dancers' thanks. The APD Frenchy Brown was hilarious to both participants and spectators (as well as providing some empathy) and I'm delighted to say that the Bossa Nova presented no stumbling block. All dancers passed the "exam" with flying colors.

After the exam, we distributed graduation caps, set up a small table with a single candle centerpiece, new club badges and, on a shelf below, the diplomas and proceeded into the ceremony that follows below. At the conclusion of the ceremony, we gave attendance awards for dancers with three or less absences since the beginning of class; dancers with perfect attendance (I had two) also received one month's free club dues. Next we distributed Angel Badges and finally diplomas and new club badges. Before the diplomas were awarded, I asked our club members and Angels to form a receiving line to welcome each new graduate. Then we broke for pictures and refreshments. ... The "Final Exam" took approximately 15 minutes; the graduation ceremony, exclusive of awards and diplomas, took less than 15 minutes. After refreshments, we had another couple of sets of just dancing and ended the evening with a "Star Set" of higher level dances for those members and guests who wished to stay.

Anndrea Round Graduation
May 6, 1984

Instructor/Cuer: (Welcome and opening remarks. Ask class members to form a circle on the floor, open to the front. Ask three club members or officers to join you at the front.) Out graduation ceremony tonight deals with three facets of Round Dancing: Round Dance Figures, Round Dance Fun and Round Dance Fellowship. (Call first club member.)

First club member: (Round Dance Figures) Congratulations and welcome to the wonderful world of Round Dance Figures. You have learned the positions, directions, rhythms and steps commonly found in square dance and easy level Round Dancing. You have learned a variety of dances and you dance well to cues. Your dancing status can be likened to a snowball which, now formed, can be enjoyed as is or rolled along and added to indefinitely. There will always be new dances being written and danced at your current level. In addition, there is a whole realm of more complex steps, rhythms and dances should you wish to add them to your present wealth of Round Dance knowledge. Whichever you decide, we hope that the basic figures you've learned in this class will provide a solid foundation for continued dancing enjoyment.

Second club member: (Round Dance Fun) Congratulations and welcome to the Fun of Round Dancing. You have worked very hard learning steps and styling but we hope you've had FUN, too, for that's really why we're here. You've had a chance to laugh at yourselves and with each other; you've enjoyed the pure delight that comes from mastery of a difficult figure; you've expressed the happiness that comes from enjoying a single dance or an entire evening. As you go forth into the wider world of Round Dancing, share the Fun - both by words and by your smile at the start, at the end and throughout the Dance.

Third club member: (Round Dance Fellowship) Congratulations and welcome to the Fellowship of Round Dancing. As in our sister activity of square dancing, you'll find that you meet the friendliest people Round Dancing. Round Dancers are generally more than willing to show you a step, tell you what level the announced dance is or let you follow along behind them. The occasional Round Dancers who seem aloof may just be concentrating so hard that they've forgotten the Fun of Round Dancing. If you see a Dancer without a smile, give them one of yours; you're almost certain to get another in return. As you dance with various groups, go to Round Dance parties and festival workshops, your circle of Round Dance friends will widen. Some may become special friends but none will occupy the unique status of the friends you've learned to Round Dance with.

Instructor/Cuer: (Ask other Round Dance club members, angels and guest to join the class in the circle.) To symbolize this special bond, I'm going to start with a hug of fellowship in each direction around the circle. (Instructor will hug the person on each side of them in the circle and ask that they pass it on.)

Like a circle in a spiral,
Like a wheel within a ring,
Never ending but beginning
In the joy a dance can bring.

As you accept your diplomas tonight, we hope that you think of this graduation not as an ending but as a beginning. This class has been a pebble dropped into the water of your life. May you experience the concentric circles of Round Dance Figures, Fun and Fellowship as you dance through the years!

Roundalab Journal, August, 1984